CJ turning ‘West’ for U.S.

Cho starrer aimed at Asian-American auds

South Korean major CJ Entertainment is shooting its first U.S. production, the noirish drama “West 32nd,” starring John Cho (“Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle”).

Set in New York’s Koreatown, pic is aimed at Asian-American auds and directed by Michael Kang, whose third feature, “The Motel,” won the Humanitas Prize at Sundance in 2005.

The $2.5 million film, about a lawyer (Cho) who gets mixed up with Korean gangsters, is produced by Teddy Zee (“Hitch,” “Saving Face”) and financed by CJ.

Korean star Jung Jun-ho (“Marrying the Mafia”) will make a special appearance as a mid-ranking hood.

Shooting will last until late September, with a release in the U.S. and South Korea skedded for the first half of 2007.

A former DreamWorks investor, CJ Entertainment has identified Korean-American audiences as a key target group, building a multiplex in L.A. and moving toward releasing Korean films directly into the U.S. market.